Melarose
by Clioundra
Summary: Italy has a new baby sister! I got the original picture from deviant art and edited to look like the title character.
1. Chapter 1

One day Italy and Romano were walking home from a world conference, which France hosted this time, and once again Romano was yelling at his younger brother for reasons Italy did not understand.

"I can't believe this! It's your entire fault that the car is wrecked you know!" shouted Romano at his little brother. They were driving home but then that tree came out of no where...

"But Romano you were driving..."

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER! IT WAS STILL YOUR FAULT!" Romano turned and started to strangle Italy.

"Wah! Romano! Can't! Can't breathe!" choked out Italy struggling to get out of his brother hold.

Suddenly a sweet laugh rang through air, making the brothers pause in what they were doing.

"What was that?" asked Romano, hands still around his brothers neck only not as tight.

"I don't know, it sounded like it came from over there." Italy turned and pointed in an apparently random direction.

The sweet giggling echoed again. Romano released his brother and Italy began to shiver.

"...The hell...?" A confused Romano squinted into the dark woods, trying to see who it was.

"Wah! What if it's kidnappers? Romano please protect me!" cried Italy as he ducked behind his older brother, crying.

"Who would want to kidnap you! Idiot! It's probably just Spain or France following us." an annoyed Romano shouted at a frightened Italy. He bent down and picked up a stone then threw it into the bushes. There a light conk and then,

"WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"EEP!" squealed Romano, he dived behind Italy then shoved him into the wailing shurbs.

"Go see what it is! I don't want to get eaten!"

"GAH! FRATELLO!" screamed Italy as he tumbled through the wall of vegetation and into a small clearing. In a panic Italy yanked his head out of the grass and began waving a white flag that he seemed to have pulled out of nowhere. As he did the loud crying continued.

"PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! PLEASE! I'M STILL A VIRGIN! YOU WOULDN'T HURT A VIRGIN WOULD YOU! I'VE GOT RELATIVES IN YOUR COUNTRY!"

Italy gathered all of his courage (which wasn't a lot) and peeked at his attacker. Before him sat a little girl in a blue dress decorated with pink ribbons, the tiny thing was crying her eyes out while covering a spot on her head, her face was hidden by thick, dark brown, ringlets that contrasted with her caramel skin. On the ground next to her sat the same rock that Romano had thrown earlier. All of Italy's fear disappeared in an instant as he approached her.

"Oh no, did that rock hit you on the head? You poor thing." he gently spoke. He moved her hands to the side and looked at the wound, there was nothing more than a large bump.

"It's ok. I know rocks hurt, but it's nothing serious." he said softly while gently rubbing the lump.

The child's sobbing slowly calmed to sniffles as the pain faded away from the rubbing but it was obvious that it still hurt. Italy thought for a second about how to cheer her up.

"I know! How about we share some pasta? Pasta always cheers me up when I'm down! Oh wait I don't have any with me... " he trailed off, what else could he do to stop her crying? He should also get Romano to apologise for throwing a stone at her.

The child looked up at him at last and her eyes almost stunned Italy, they were a shining blue that were sparkling with unshed tears.

"W-what's pasta?" she hiccupped.

"EEEEEEHHHHHHHHH? You know what pasta is? How could you not know about pasta?" Italy cried. He stood, lifting up the girl to cradle her against his chest. "That's does it your defiantly coming home with me besides the fact that you don't know what pasta is, I can't leave you out here all by yourself, you so little." Why was she out here by herself? Shouldn't she be at home with her parents?

"You want me to go home with you?"

"Yep! But only for a little while, then we have to get you home to your Mama and Papa." Italy turned and began walking back towards the road where Romano was probly still waiting if he hadn't run the rest of the way home after throwing Italy in the bushes.

"I don't a mama or papa. I just woke up here." said the still un-named child giving Italy a look that said 'why would someone like me have parents?'

Italy paused, the girl didn't have any parents, was she an orphan?

"I don't have a house either but a man said that their building town and that I was going to live there when my house is done," she continued on like it was the most normal thing in the world "He said that it's going to be my capital and the people who live there are going to be my some of my citizens."

Capital? Citizens? A thought suddenly dawned on Italy. Could it be...?

"A-are you a new country?"

"A country? Hmm yea, I guess I am! People have been calling me that!" she cheered showing Italy a set of pearly white teeth as she smiled at him.

Italy stared at the girl for a while, she was a new country, in Europe, in this day and age, it was so strange but somehow it's happened. The question now was what's Italy going to do about it now?

Normally in these circumstances, any other country would have immediately claimed her as their colony, but this was Italy we were talking about here. He lived to love not concur. But she was so small, if he didn't take her someone else probably would and they may not be very nice to her.

"Do you know where your borders are?"

"Yep! Sure do!"

Shit his boss was going to kill him for this.

"Then how about this, you come home with me, we'll eat some pasta and then we'll find a map and you can show me where your borders are. Then if things work out, you can live with me and Big Brother from on, how does that sound?"

The child stared at him for a while; Italy really wished he was able to read the atmosphere better!

"But that's not a bad thing! It just means that we'll take care of you and your people from now! And I don't think you have an army so I'll use mine to protect you! Plus you need to learn about things like trade and economy and growing tomatoes and-!"

"Okay."

Italy stopped rambling. D-did she just agree to become his colony? Without any depate or resistance?

"W-what?"

She just kept smiling. "You seem really nice and I don't have anywhere to live. I think living with you will be really fun!"

Italy's face then broke out into a smile, "Yea! It will be really fun! Then that settles it!"

"I do have a question,"

"Ask away!"

"Who's Big Brother?"

Whoops he's forgotten about Romano.

"Big Brother Romano is family, you'll meet him in a minute (maybe). He lives with me and he's a little older, he's a country too; South Italy! He's kinda mean and selfish but he's ni-well no he not but he does take car-wait no he doesn't do that either...Umm what good points does Romano have?"

################################################## ######################

Meanwhile

"ACHOO!"

Romano rubbed his nose and glared at nothing.

"Shit, I feel like someone just insulted me..."

################################################## ######################

"Do I call you Big Brother?" the question stopped Italy in his quest to think of something positive to say about his brother.

"Sorry?"

"You said that a Big Brother is some who lives you and is older, I'm going to live with you and your older than me so does that mean I call you Big Brother from now on?"

Italy hadn't explained the meaning the word right obviously but the thought of him having a little sister completely wiped that thought out of his head.

'I've always wanted a little sister, but I've never been a big brother before. How can I be a good big brother when I haven't had one?' Italy debated once again in his head, he really should just tell her no but those eyes and that innocent face were just too cute!

"Yea! You can call me Big Brother! And I call you my cute sorellina!" he grinned.

"Sorellina?" the girl cocked her head to one side in curiosity, another new word.

"It means little sister in my language, and that's what you are now!"

"Oh. Ok!"

Italy then fell to the ground and rolled back and forth in the meadow in excitement.

"We're going to have so much fun! We can play dress up! And you can wear my old dress and look so pretty!"

"Wee!" squealed and laughed the child, having just as much fun as her newly discovered Big Brother.

"By the way! My name's Veneziano Italy! What's yours?" Italy laughed.

"Melarose!" his sorellina laughed back. Oh he loved her more than Romano already!

Hey, hey Mama,

Can I have so wine?

Hey, hey Papa,

Hey, hey, Papa,

It's doesn't what I do I'll never forget,

The taste of the Bolognese you gave me won't get out of my head!

Draw a circle and that's the earth,

Draw a circle and that's the earth,

Draw a circle and that's the earth,

I am Italy!

Oh! The world around us can be seen with a stroke of a single brush,

And now we give a toast with our boots!

Hetalia!


	2. Chapter 2

Romano stared at the scene in front of him. After he left Veniziano to whatever was in the bushes he had run home, not because he was afraid, mind you! He was just really hungry and wanted some pasta! Yea. That was it.

Anyway back on subject. Before him stood his idiot of a little brother, and in said idiot's arms was a little girl. A little fucking girl.

"Romano, meet Melarose! She's our new baby sister!" Italy cheered.

...

"Why are you such a fucking idiot?"

"Fratello!" cried Italy as he quickly covered Melarose's ears. "Don't swear in front our sorellina bambino!"

"What do I crapola! We can't just take random kids in from off the street!" Seriously what was his stupid brother thinking! They were having real money problems right now and the last thing they needed was another mouth to feed! What kinda name was Melarose anyway! "Dammit I thought you were supposed to be the smart one that was good at business!"

"But she's not a random kid! She's a country like us! A brand new country! In this day and age that's a miracle, she's a little miracle fretello. Can't you feel it Romano?" replied Italy as tears began to gather in the corners of his eyes, he hated fighting with his brother.

"The only thing I feel is the need to beat some damn sense into you and kick that brat to the curb!" glared Romano as he unfolded his arms to make good on his intentions.

"Big brother?"

Italy and Romano paused and turned their gaze to the small child in Italy's arms. She looked back up at Italy with frightened eyes.

"W-what's going on?" she whimpered.

Well at least Romano now understood why his little brother decided he wanted to keep her, he loved cute things. But hell would freeze over before he would admit that he thought that the child was cute.

Immediately Italy had the child on his shoulder, rubbing her back while cooing words of comfort to her.

"It's ok, Romano is just cranky right now is all. I'm sure he'll love you too when he calms down." Italy suddenly recalled something and turned his head back to Romano with a smile.

"Also Romano you hit her with that rock you threw and made her cry, so can you please say that you're sorry?"

"...!"

*Later That Night*

Melarose sat on a single bed in an old but still useable girl's nightgown that Italy had kept from his childhood, looking around the simple room her brother said they would be sleeping in. It was rather empty and didn't look lived in but if was good enough for her big brother it was good enough for her. Italy himself was shuffling around in his usual night wear (i.e. his underwear) getting clean sheets on the quilt and pillows. Romano had thrown him out of their bedroom leaving him and Melarose to sleep in the tiny bed in the guest room. It was kinda his fault for shouting at him like he did.

*Flashback*

"That brat is not living with us!"

Italy had just left Melarose in the living room to explore his old combat records; he also left the TV on the kiddies channel in case she got bored of the old books. He was just about to start on dinner (pasta, just as he promised the child only hours before) when Romano came in still raving about the fact that he had brought home a kid to live with them. Italy had alright seen this coming; Romano was the most stubborn of people.

"Fratello-"

"Don't you 'fratello' me! You should know fucking better! We can't take care off a child let alone raise a new country! What do you think our boss is going do when he hears about this! Dammit! This is all your damn fault! That brat has to go! Take her back where you found her and leave her there you idiot!"

"No!"

Romano stared at his little brother, shocked at the outburst. He's _never_ shouted at him before. No matter how bossy, bitchy and mean he was he always took it with that stupid smile on his face.

"What the hell did you just say?" he growled.

"I said no! Melarose is staying with us!

"You damn bastard-"

"Shut up Romano!" Italy shouted, in a tone more befitting the elder.

Romano was once again thrown into shock, he told him to shut up. His weak, stupid, scaredy cat little brother just told him to shut up. No one has ever told him to shut up! Romano's temper was beginning to go through the roof.

"Don't you remember when we that little? Everyone picked on us because we were small and had no one to protect us! Melarose needs us! You of all people should know what's it's like to need someone to protect you! For you that someone was Big Brother Spain! He gave everything up just to protect you!"

"How dare you bring that into this you bastard!" Italy knew how guilty he felt about that time, Spain fought so hard for him and the clueless him acted like such a brat. "I am your older fucking brother and you will listen to me dammit!"

"I don't care what you say! Your just a lazy, good for nothing that nobody likes!" It slipped out of Italy's mouth before he could stop it.

Romano's expression changed dramatically, from argue-mental and stubborn to hurt and almost tearful. It was one thing to have that view of yourself then feel bad about being like that and another thing to have someone (your own brother even) say it to your face. D-did Veniziano really care more about this child that he had just met than him...?

Italy's eyes where open (a rare sight) and fixed in a glare.

"Melarose stays, whether you like or not."

*End flashback*

Italy really did feel horrible for saying such terrible to his older brother. Sure he could be lazy and dislikable sometimes but he was a real hard worker when he put his mind to it and he took care of his loved ones with such passion. Italy recalled the time when Spain was sick due to his bad economy, Romano had increased his imports from Spain to try and help him even though he was putting himself at risk by doing so. And he always stood up for Italy when he felt like he was in danger, his none stop arguments and bad mouthing of Germany and France where prove of that.

Italy sniffed trying to hold back tears, he really did love his brother but he was being so mean earlier and he had to stand up for his baby sister. But in the process he had hurt Romano's feelings, he may act tough but he was probably crying right now too.

'I did a bad thing…' he thought to himself.

Melarose stared at her big brother from her spot on the bed; he looked really, really upset. She had heard him and Romano talking in the kitchen, they were speaking in a language that she didn't know but from the way they spoke she could tell that they were having a really bad argument and she knew in her heart that was her fault.

"Big brother?"

Italy stopped what he was doing, quickly wiped away his tears and turned to Melarose.

"Yes Melarose?"

"D-does Romano hate me?" she sniffed.

"What? No, course not. He's just worried that we won't be able to take care of you. He'll love you too once he gets to know you." said Italy as he stroked the child's tiny head.

"B-but I made you guys fight," she hiccupped. Italy tensed up he hadn't realized that Melarose had heard them.

"A-um don't worry about that! Romano fights with everybody!" Well it wasn't a lie.

"I HEARD THAT YOU BASTARD! I DO NOT!" shouted Romano from down the hall. The sound of his voice confirmed Italy's fears that he was crying.

Italy cringed at the sound but otherwise ignored him. He'll beg for forgiveness in the morning. Melarose was his priority right now.

"Ok! We've had a busy day today! And you need your beauty sleep!" cheered Italy trying to hide negative emotions with a smile as he threw the blanket over the bed and the child on it then placed the pillows at the top. Melarose was momentarily lost in the sheets but a minute later her head popped out at the top of the bed just as Italy jumped in next to her. Making sure she was tucked in and comfortable, Italy turned off the bedside lamp then held his baby sister close as she snuggled into his chest.

"Goodnight Big Brother," she whispered.

"Bou en nouté Melarose."

* * *

><p>Clio: Geez writing this without making Italy sound like a pedo was <strong>hard. <strong>Well lets hope thing cheer up in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

*The Next Morning*

Melarose sat at the dining table munching on the breakfast that her Big Brother had made for her. She could hear him and Romano in the next room through the closed door; she really hoped they weren't fighting again. They were speaking in that weird language again, only this time Italy's tone was apologetic, regretful and quite tearful but from the sound of things Romano was having none of it. It continued on for another 10 minutes until loud "slam" echoed throughout the house which caused Melarose to jump and drop her spoon.

Italy came through dining room door, a feeling of defeat rippled from him. Melarose's tiny eyebrows furrowed together and her mouth turned down at the corners.

"Big brother, are you ok?" she asked quietly as Italy plopped down on to a chair at the table.

"Si…." He mumbled. Saying his attempts to gain Romano's forgiveness had completely failed would be a huge understatement.

"What?"

Ah…. He forgot that Melarose didn't understand Italian.

"I'm fine Sorellina. I'm just uh-" Italy paused for a mili-second. "I'm just depressed that I can't play with you today because I gotta work!" he ultimately cheered. There was no way he could tell her that Romano was still pissed at them, not after seeing how upset she almost got yesterday.

"What‽ You leaving‽" cried Melarose. So that's why he was awake and dressed before her! No! She didn't want to be alone with Romano!

"I'm sorry, I really, really wish I could stay but I have to-" Before he could finish the co-coo clock that lived on the kitchen wall (a gift from Germany) chimed, indicating that it was 9am; the time Italy was supposed to be at parliament. Italy and Melarose turned to watch the tiny bird pop in and out of the clock in time with the chimes.

"I'm late again, woops. Well I'll see you later Melarose! I left a pasta salad in the microwave for you! It's best eaten cold so don't push any buttons!" the elder laughed as he quickly headed for the door whilst the child was still goo-goo eying the cute little bird on the clock. But Italy's words instantly brought her attentions back to him.

"What?" Melarose turned in time to catch her brothers back leaving the doorway. Tears jumped to her eyes as she ran after him in a panic.

"No! Big brother!" she cried. She caught up to him as he was leaving through the front door. She latched herself on to his right leg; stopping him from going anywhere.

Italy nearly fell flat on his face from the sudden extra weight on his leg. He turned on heel of the foot he could still move to look at her, slightly panicked by this reaction.

"I'm coming back! I'm coming back! I'll see you at five thirty tonight! We can play then!"

Melarose still didn't release his leg as she whined out "Nooooo! Don't leave me here with Romanooooo!"

*With Romano*

Romano looked up from the tomato plant he was currently harvesting (his way of venting anger other than yelling and swearing) at the noise coming from his front door. The sight that greeted him was that of his younger brother with arms full of papers, his briefcase in the hand that wasn't helping his arms hold up the papers, shaking his leg in a vain attempt to remove the whiny brat that he had brought home last night.

"Keh!" he scoffed before returning to his work.

*Later that day*

Melarose sniffed, already missing her big brother. She had lost the fight to get him to stay and was now left alone with Romano who probably stalking around somewhere.

Italy had left the television on the cartoon channel for her but it didn't hold Melarose's attention, all the characters were speaking Italian and Melarose only understood Latin*. She looked back down at the photo book he had also left; there sure were a lot of pictures of him and girls.

The sound of the backdoor slamming shut suddenly echoed through the house, Melarose's tiny body stiffened; oh no Romano was back.

Romano heaved the heavy basket through the backdoor; it was a fantastic harvest for a mornings work. He kicked the door shut behind then cringed when it slammed, that probably wasn't good for the doorframe.

But his attention was soon drawn to the noise coming from the living room, was the TV on?

Forgetting about his morning's bounty he entered the living room to see old photo albums scattered around the floor and one of America's crappy Italian dubbed cartoons playing on the television.

A vain throbbed on Romano's in irritation at the mess, as if his brother wasn't in enough deep shit with him he just _had _to go and leave him to clean up his mess.

Speaking of his brother, where was the brat he had brought home with him yesterday?

A small whimper catches Romano's ear over the TV. He turns to the origin of the sound and found a small body squished between one of the chairs and the wall in a desperate attempt to hide from him.

He steps over the books and crouches down next to the chair. "Hey." He calls calmly. "What are you doing back there?"

The small child squeaks realizing her hiding place hiding place had being discovered. "I-I'm sorry M-Mr. Romano! Please don't yell at me!"

"….What?"


End file.
